So I have a widget in my phone’s home screen tracking the days I have lived so far, to remind me of the time I have, and not to waste it.
I was sitting in the school dining hall, glancing at my phone to check the time and my friend remarked how it is weird that I’m counting the days I’m living.
I didn’t say anything but I’m confused about how is it weird.
We are 15~16 y/o.
Once you live a few decades, years rush by no matter what. Do what makes you happy.
(Ps i do think its weird but who gives a shit what random internet person thinks, you do you)
You’re 15-16 years old.
At that age, it’s normal for you and your peers to make dismissive judgements about each other’s behavior as you sort out your own ways of existing in the world.
What “weird” means here is, “this makes me uncomfortable so I reject it.” Similarly, if they’d said it was “cool” it would mean, “this intrigues me and I might like to try it in my life.”
In both cases they project their personal reaction as if it’s the universal judgement of society. And because at this age the opinion of one’s peers is an important part of one’s self-esteem, you’ve taken it as a social judgement rather than a personal one, and come to Lemmy to see if there’s social support for your side.
Personally, I can only say, there’s no harm in it. If it’s weird at all, it’s good weird, like most weird is.
I would look at that number differently on different days. Sometimes I might interpret it as a reminder to get shit done. Today I might think, “You have survived these many days, you can survive today.” Although at my age, the number of days is gonna run out of room on the screen… (Edit: it’s only 23,449 days. Heck, I can do more than that!)
You do you, hon.
A little bit. Most people just count the years.
I’ve found the number of the days feels much more than the years, and has greater impact, even though it’s all equivalent.
Whatever works for you man. Screw what anyone thinks about what you do. Do your thing. Nothing really matters all that much, except how you feel about yourself.
I do the same but I use years instead.
It’s objectively weird in the sense that most people don’t do that.
What? Most people celebrate birthdays. How is that not essentially the same thing? lol
Most people have hair on their heads. If someone had feathers on their head instead, that’d be weird, even if it were essentially the same thing in principle.
It is essentially the same thing, but that is the cultural box that we’ve created where it’s normal to keep track of your lifespan. A Death Note style reminder has not been deemed socially acceptable.
What would be weirder is an app counting down how much time you have left.
I actually have a death date. It helps a lot with being able to plan my life and live in a way where I’ll be happy with my life if I were to die tommorow.
If I reach that date then great, anything after I just consider a bonus lol
I didn’t say anything but I’m confused about how is it weird. We are 15~16 y/o.
Your teens and 20s are years where you learning who you are. Use whatever safe means available to you to do this. Explore ideas, embrace the absurd until you find your personal limits for it. You knowing who you are is so powerful and incredibly important to your happiness and success later in life.
If this app and the information it gives you gives you a perspective of reflection (which it sounds like it is) that is helpful to you in any way in gaining understanding about who you are and where you are in the world, in time, I say use it.
However, commit this experience to your memory. In the days and years ahead you’ll see others in life that are doing things that you may find weird or different. They too may be exploring for themselves who they are. Remember today when someone called something you’re doing “weird” and try to be respectful to those others when you encounter them later in life (as long as their actions don’t cross your boundaries of safety for yourself).
This is good advice. Most people aren’t weird enough to be happy. Pay attention and you’ll notice most of the super weird people, that project their weirdness and wear it openly, are pretty joyful people. They have shed societal expectation to simply exist as they wish to be.
Now there is a balance there, too far in that direction and you sometimes end up unemployed and homeless. But hell, even most van hippies are pretty happy people. You’ve just gotta find where your own balance is on the scale.
It’s probably unusual. I hope that’s what your friend meant. If something you do is unusual, it doesn’t automatically mean you need to stop doing it.
Meh. Doesn’t hurt anyone so no one should give a shit.
Everyone is weird and crazy at that age. Try not to overthink things and just try to enjoy yourself.
My grandpa used to do this way before smartphones, I remember his 30.000 days birthday when I was a kid.
Not weird at all, just a different perspective they weren’t previously aware of. One group I know of that does this is people who follow stoicism. Memento mori!
I did this for a while in anticipation of my 10,000 Days birthday. I took that day off work and did nothing but play games, chill on the deck, drink beer, smoked a bit of weed and spun Tool’s “10,000 Days” album after smashing a pizza down my gullet for supper.
It was a great day.
I thought “that sounds cool” until I realised I’ve past that mark by 800 days 🤪
That’s long enough
How many years is that, roughly 30? I should try something like it but with a bigger number
29ish? I can’t remember anymore.
27 or so.
Mine just reads: Old
from a 15 year old perspective old was awhile ago for me.
“It just started saying ‘yikes’ like five years back.”
These guys sell a physical tracker so there must be some interest in the concept.
https://shop-us.kurzgesagt.org/products/lifespan-calendar-poster
